High-speed sample spinner for solid NMR spectroscopy

Abstract

An improved high-speed spinner for solid-state NMR spectroscopy is provided. This spinner has a rotor portion comprising a radial flow type turbine that is rotated efficiently when a gas is blown at the turbine. Furthermore, stable high-speed rotation is assured. The gas blown at the turbine via gas supply holes formed in a turbine nozzle is vented rearward at a given angle to radial directions to thereby apply a rotating force to the turbine itself. The turbine has blades that are greater in number than the gas supply holes in the nozzle. The number of the blades is prime to the number of the gas supply holes.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A high-speed spinner for solid-state NMR measurements, said high-speed spinner comprising: 
       a rotor portion capable of being sealed with a sample;  
       a stator portion surrounding said rotor portion;  
       a space formed between said rotor portion and said stator portion, said space being supplied with a gas via gas supply holes to thereby form a gas bearing;  
       a turbine mounted in said rotor portion and having blades that are greater in number than the gas supply holes, the number of the blades being prime to the number of the gas supply holes; and  
       said turbine mounted in said rotor portion and at which the gas is blown, said turbine venting the blown gas rearward at as viewed from the direction of rotation at a given angle to radial directions, whereby a rotating force is applied to said rotor portion itself.  
     
     
       2. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said rotor portion is fitted with an auxiliary thrust stator extending in a thrust direction to carry said rotor portion while rotating it. 
     
     
       3. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said given angle that the gas blown at the turbine forms with the radial directions when vented rearward is in the range of from 30° to 60°. 
     
     
       4. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said rotor portion has a diameter in the range of from 2 mm to 4 mm. 
     
     
       5. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said gas bearing has a length in the range of from 50% to 100% of the diameter of said rotor portion. 
     
     
       6. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said space between said rotor portion and said stator portion is in the range of from 0.68% and 2.1% of the diameter of said rotor portion. 
     
     
       7. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein said space between said rotor portion and said stator portion is in the range of from 27 μm to 42 μm. 
     
     
       8. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein the number of said gas supply holes for supplying the gas into the space between said rotor portion and said stator portion is in the range of from 6 to 10. 
     
     
       9. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein each of said gas supply holes for supplying the gas into the space between said rotor portion and said stator portion has a diameter in the range of from 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm. 
     
     
       10. The high-speed spinner of  claim 1 , wherein a thin metal film is formed on a part of said rotor portion to reflect light. 
     
     
       11. The high-speed spinner of  claim 10 , wherein said thin metal film is made of gold. 
     
     
       12. The high-speed spinner of  claim 10 , wherein said thin metal film has a thickness in the range of from 10 nm to 1000 nm.